We buy the house and take it as it is
We buy houses as-is in Durham, Durham County, Orange County, and Wake County. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. You can sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is.
You can keep the belongings you want and discuss what remains as part of the written offer and terms. Property taxes, insurance, utilities, upkeep, and any mortgage payments can add to the cost of holding a house while the estate is handled. You do not have to finish a cleanout or repair project before asking about a sale.
What happens next
- Tell us the property address and what you know about its condition, contents, access, and estate status.
- We talk through the house and your questions, then provide a written offer and written terms before you commit.
- If you choose to proceed, a title company coordinates closing and confirms the documents and signatures needed for this property.
Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
Signing from another location
Sell from anywhere in the country — we can send a notary to you, and you don't have to attend settlement or even visit the property.
Compare what you keep
Compare an as-is offer with a listing estimate using your own assumptions for the house, costs, and timing.
Open the Durham net-proceeds calculator →North Carolina estate rules and taxes
Who can sell and sign?
In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court in each county handles estate matters. The clerk appoints the personal representative: an executor when there is a will, or an administrator when there is not. The clerk issues letters that show the representative’s authority. At death, the house passes to the heirs or the people named in a valid will once it is probated, but the house can still be used to pay estate debts.
If the will gives the personal representative power to sell, a separate court proceeding is not needed for that sale; the will can allow a public or private sale unless it says otherwise. Without that power, the representative can ask the clerk for permission to sell the house to pay estate debts. The petition identifies the heirs and the people who inherit under the will.
Heirs can also sell, but the deed-signing rules depend on creditor notice. If the estate’s first general notice to creditors is published or posted within two years after death, a sale by heirs before that notice does not hold up against creditors or the personal representative. After notice, and until the final account is approved, the personal representative must also sign the deed. If no such notice appears within those two years, that restriction does not apply. The title company can confirm who must sign for the property.
You can sell in the estate's name once the estate is opened — no need to put the house in your own name first. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
We help coordinate the sale, but we do not provide legal advice. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm who has authority to sign for the estate.
North Carolina excise tax on conveyances
North Carolina charges $1 for each $500 of the price or value transferred by deed, and any part of $500 counts as a full $500. That is $200 on a $100,000 sale. By law, the seller pays the tax to the county register of deeds before the deed is recorded. Some transfers are exempt, including gifts, transfers under a will or by inheritance, and transfers where the buyer pays nothing. Durham County is not among the seven northeastern counties that add a 1% land transfer tax.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including North Carolina's excise tax on conveyances. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
Local estate and deed offices
If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
The county Clerk of Superior Court handles estate matters. These county Register of Deeds offices handle deed and land-record questions:
Questions about an inherited house?
Inherited-property questions
Can an inherited North Carolina house be sold before the estate is finished?
Often, yes, when the people with authority sign and the sale follows the estate documents and title requirements. The Clerk of Superior Court appoints the personal representative and issues letters showing that appointment. If the will gives the representative power to sell, a separate court proceeding is not needed for that sale. Without that power, the representative can ask the clerk for permission to sell the house to pay estate debts.
Who can sign to sell an inherited Durham-area house?
The estate papers, deed, title review, and any court permission determine who signs. The clerk appoints an executor when there is a will or an administrator when there is not; the letters show the representative’s authority. Depending on when creditor notice is given and whether the final account is approved, the personal representative may also need to sign a deed when heirs sell. The title company or a qualified attorney can confirm who must sign for this property.
Do I have to put the house in my own name before selling it?
You can sell in the estate's name once the estate is opened — no need to put the house in your own name first. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
What North Carolina excise tax applies to a house sale?
North Carolina's excise tax on conveyances is $1 for each $500 of the sale price or value, and any part of $500 counts as a full $500. That is $200 on a $100,000 sale. The seller pays it to the county register of deeds before the deed is recorded. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including North Carolina's excise tax on conveyances. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
Do I have to clean out or repair the inherited house first?
No. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. You can decide what belongings to keep; we can discuss what remains as part of the written offer and terms.
Can I sign from outside North Carolina?
Sell from anywhere in the country — we can send a notary to you, and you don't have to attend settlement or even visit the property.
What happens after I ask about selling?
We talk through the address, condition, access, contents, and estate status. We provide a written offer and written terms before you commit. If you choose to proceed, a title company coordinates closing and confirms the documents and signatures required for the property.
Talk through the inherited property
Call 888-274-5006 or send the property address using the form.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Tell us what you know about the house and the estate.